2005 FORUM FOR SCHOOL SCIENCE
Seamlessness in Science Education: Connecting the Dots, Kindergarten to Workforce

Organized by: Betty Calinger, AAAS Education and Human Resources

Sunday, 20 February
8:30AM–11:30AM
2:00PM–5:00PM

Sponsored by: L'Oréal USA

To strengthen educational accomplishment from pre-school through college and beyond, the traditional practice of operating autonomously and separately must change. Instead, concerned parties—K-12 schools, higher education, the professional and lay communities, business, government—need to collaborate in connecting/aligning policies, standards, competencies, and assessments to allow students to develop through a support system, kindergarten to high school to higher education and the workplace. This is often referred to as “seamlessness.”

Seamlessness is one of the core concepts that emerge in two major reports sponsored by the GE Foundation to be released in early February 2005. The reports, by AAAS and the Urban Institute, describe approaches, strategies, and policies identified through rigorous evaluations and by school districts as being useful, efficient, and successful in achieving K-12 reform and the building of capacity for “continuous improvement.” The AAAS report is based on a synthesis of literature plus in-depth interviews with representatives of selected urban school districts. The companion Urban Institute study reports on research-based curricula and quality professional development for middle and high school science and mathematics. In short, the AAAS/Urban Institute studies recognize that producing the capacity in school districts to lead, measure, and sustain school improvement is a community responsibility.

The Forum program will be organized around the findings in the two reports and focus on how to build seamless connections in education, kindergarten to workforce. The research teams will present highlights from the reports, augmented by case studies of two states that are engaged in efforts to move towards a seamless systemic education—K-16. Key stakeholders will be featured as interpreters, sponsors, and consumers of seamless science education.

SUNDAY • 20 February 2005 • Marriott Wardman Park
7:30AM–8:30AM	Breakfast (Invitation only) Policies for Practice—National, Statewide, and Local Speakers: • Shirley Ann Jackson, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute • Clifford B. Janey, District of Columbia Public Schools This discussion will examine policy perspectives that promote the creation of a seamless education system K-16. Presenters will offer insights into the role of federal legislation in shaping statewide expectations and local district practice.
9:00AM–11:30AM	Panel Building a Seamless Educational System: Classroom Through Workplace Speakers: • Roger Nozaki, GE Foundation • Beatriz Chu Clewell, Urban Institute • Pat Campbell, Campbell-Kibler Associates • Shirley Malcom and Daryl Chubin, AAAS Discussants: • Donald Langenberg, University of Maryland • D. Carr Thompson, Burroughs Wellcome Fund • Luther Williams, Missouri Botanical Garden Presentations will highlight the results of the AAAS/Urban Institute studies and describe the efforts of two states to strengthen educational achievement, kindergarten through college.
2:00PM–4:30PM	Panel Engaging Key Communities in Fostering Change Discussants: • Manuel Gomez, University of Puerto Rico • Leon Lederman, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory • Ramon Lopez, Florida Institute of Technology • Patricia Welch, Morgan State University A facilitated discussion will look at areas that are critical to strengthening education systems.
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